HoloLens and Unity Consultant, Technologist, Microsoft MVP

Getting Started with Mixed Reality

This week I created a video where I discussed the definition of Mixed Reality as well as showed a quick demo of getting started with creating apps, games, or experiences with the immersive headsets.

Just like HoloLens development, the Mixed Reality Toolkit (the toolkit formerly known as HoloToolkit) is your best friend.

Simply start a new Unity project – making sure you have the UWP components installed – and then import the Mixed Reality Toolkit (MRTK). From there, delete the original scene camera. Bring the MixedRealityCameraParent prefab into the hierarchy followed by the DefaultCursor and InputManager.

Create your scene like you want. I simply added a cube.

You save your scene and apply project settings by clicking hte Mixed Reality Toolkit in the Unity menu and selecting Configure and then selecting Apply Mixed Reality Project Settings. Make sure that Enable XR is selected as well as Target Occluded Devices.

When you hit play in the Unity editor, it will launch the Mixed Reality Portal and you will be able to look around your environment with your immersive headset.

If you want to just work inside of Unity and not have to use the headset during different parts of development, simply uncheck the Virtual Reality Supported checkbox under XR Settings in the PlayerSettings. You can get to PlayerSettings by opening the Build Settings window. That is done by clicking Ctrl+Shift+B or by clicking File > Build Settings.